The good, the bad and the outcasts
by Falloutfan61
Summary: For years the Brotherhood of Steel have been the guardian angels, the last, best hope for humanity. But one man knows the truth. One Brotherhood pariah knows why their motives aren’t so pure…and he has a grudge to settle.
1. Chapter 1

It never rained in the Capital Wasteland.

Rain was impossible, implausible, indescribable but most worrying of all, it was natural. Every Wastelander, from Raiders to the Brotherhood had experienced nature in all her vicious glory. By day a sun whose unshielded wrath ravaged the wasteland, by night an unforgiving abyss that invited a pestilence of ghouls. This was the nature of the Wasteland and rain was no different.

Unfortunately, post apocalyptic Mother Nature liked to surprise.

As the unfamiliar drops spiralled earthwards, Knight Captain Dawn was settling down for another night's guard duty. Three days in a row! Three days! Someone at the top had it in for her, only the grunts got Citadel gate duty and here she was, an honoured veteran stuck with a brainless initiate. The steady patter of rain continued to play a merry dance on her Power Armour, stoking the fires of anger.

"Ahem, Knight Captain, this rain stuff is getting faster perhaps we should…"

"Quiet initiate," she snapped, taking her anger out on the newbie, "it's only water."

Both of them knew that was stretching the definition of rain. Even behind their power helmet filters they could smell the metallic tang of radiation amongst the dark drops.

"It's not like I'm scared, but it can't be helping our rad count."

"Fine, order the sentry bot back to the gate. I'll follow." Even this felt like a defeat, a small victory for Mother Nature. Reluctantly, Knight Captain Dawn retreated to the shelter of the citadel gate, wishing she could swing the sniper off her back and shoot every one of the watery invaders.

"Cap' the sentry bot's got a reading, 100 metres and closing."

"Verify and cross reference," she growled at the chummy initiate.

"Vertibird and what?"

She could swear the IQ of the initiates got lower by the day, "Identify-the-reading-you-bloody-idiot!"

"Oh right," the initiate ran the protocol commands through the green tinted robot.

"Reading is type zero-delta-one. That's…" Dawn could just imagine his face contorting as he tried to figure out the reading.

"Human, low radiation." Dawn chipped in before his brain overheated.

"It's probably a lost trader looking for shelter, stand to just in case," she added.

Obediently, the Initiate unclipped an assault rifle from his back while the sentry Bot brought its various armaments to bear. Dawn already had the scope up to her eye but the gloom was impenetrable. She knew the ocean was barely 20 metres away but the only trace of it was the gentle sound of the tide washing against the shore.

"Thirty metres and closing."

Frantically, Dawn searched the darkness. Even with the light cast by the Citadel gate there was no sign of life.

"Twenty metres and closing." Well she wasn't going to die wandering.

"Identify yourself!" she yelled. Interference from her helmet speaker mingling with the smooth sound of falling rain.

"Ten metres," called an increasingly worried Initiate.

"Show yourself or I will shoot!" Unlikely since she couldn't actually see the threat.

"Is that how you greet all your guests?" Much to Knight Captain Dawn's relief a very human figure limped from the shadows. He wore a sleeveless, black jacket commonly used by mercenaries and a dirty pre-war hat tilted against the rain.

"State your intentions Wastelander."

"I'm here to see Owyn Lyons. Elder Lyons to you."

Dawn scoffed, her arrogance returning now she could see the helpless wastelander, "I'm afraid it's by invitation only."

"Tell him it's an old friend." The mysterious man motioned towards the intercom next to the gate.

"This isn't a pre war spy movie."

"Fair enough." Slowly, so as not to alarm the jumpy guards, he lifted his hand and shifted his hat to reveal the grizzled features. "Tell him Henry Casdin's come home."


	2. Chapter 2

Instantly, as if Casdin had uttered an unforgivable heresy, Dawn levelled her sniper at his head. She knew she had seen him before. Those penetrating brown eyes, stared out from the Old Brotherhood photos. Of course, "Traitor" had been scribbled over his face but the similarity was unmistakeable.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't pull the trigger you back stabbing bastard."

Casdin backed off slightly, conscious that he was staring down the barrel at an armour piercing .308 bullet.

"Am I missing something here?" interjected the initiate.

"Say hello to Brotherhood Outcast Henry Casdin, public enemy number one."

"You can call me Cas." He extended his hand to try and shake the initiates but was warded off by Dawn's sniper rifle

"One reason Casdin."

"Well I could tell you why you're definitely not going to shoot me." He stumbled backwards. Dawn wasn't sure whether it was the unidentified limp or simply because he was struggling for words and time.

"Humour me." Both Knight Captain and Initiate advanced on him, leaving the shelter that the Citadel gate offered.

"Well you see. I'm guessing, and this is only a guess, that your power armour is pretty old right?" Silence ensued as all three figures moved away from the Citadel Gate enabling the rain to resume its attack.

"Well old power armour needs repairing, especially the components around the joints. So you probably fixed them and didn't replace the fiddly metal shielding between the armour plating. I mean there's no way a bullet or even a laser blast could fit through there."

Casdin finally stopped his retreat a smug smile spread across his face. "But water can."

Right on cue wisps of smoke snaked from the gaps in between their power armour. With a horrible grinding sound the well oiled joints seized up, turning their inhabitants into human statues.

"Shit I can't move!" Shrieked the initiate, his boundless enthusiasm gone.

Swiftly, Casdin ducked under the sniper barrel and in one fluid movement grabbed the laser pistol from the Knight Captain's holster. Experience told him that it would take the Sentry Bot a fraction of a second to power up its minigun but that was all he needed. Before the bot could get a lock on he jammed the laser pistol in between the helmet and armour of Knight Captain Dawn.

"Command?" the bot hesitated, realising a friendly was in harms way.

"Call off your friend," ordered Casdin.

The initiate continued to reel off expletive after expletive but Dawn remained silent. She knew panic meant death and even sealed within her power armour tomb her brain was trying to calculate the possibilities. Unfortunately, Casdin had been through the same training and had sealed all the exits.

"You're well and truly cornered I'm afraid," still she did not respond and for a second Casdin thought her arrogance would be the death of them all. He tried a different tack, noticing the rank etched on her shoulder. "You're a decorated hero. I don't think you want to be killed by your own sentry bot."

"Command?"

Grudgingly, Dawn ordered the Sentry Bot to stand down. "Deactivation code 109856."

"Good decision." Casdin lowered his newly required laser pistol and walked past the sentry bot, blasting the targeting chip when he was close enough.

Knight captain Dawn tried to salvage some pride. "There's no way you'll get into the Citadel Casdin."

"We'll see," and with that he pressed the intercom and kindly informed them he had two very willing hostages.

***

By the time reinforcements arrived the rain had lessened to a light shower. Maintaining regulation search tactics the expedition force fanned out, creating a gradually expanding semi circle that protected the gate.

Eventually, they found the supposed hostages and it was definitely a sight to remember. Clearly, their power armour had locked up after the recent downpour but that wasn't the reason for the humiliation. Their unarmed assailant had manoeuvred them both into ballet positions, the initiate with his arms pointed to the sky and Knight Captain Dawn on one leg.

After the hearty guffaws of laughter subsided, they were able to hear the Knight Captain's crazed warnings about a man called Henry Casdin. Most of them ignored her. Dawn was notoriously arrogant and no doubt she was trying to protect what was left of her pride. Besides, there was no way that anyone could have entered the Citadel and even if they did the endless corridors and patrols would defeat them. Only someone who had spent years on the inside would have a slim chance.

With that in mind they broke rank, surrounding the unfortunate Knight Captain like a pack of laughing hyenas. Not a single one of them noticed the faint ripple as a stealth camouflaged Casdin slipped into the Citadel.


	3. Chapter 3

Elder Owyn Lyons had always feared this day. The day when truth itself would walk straight through the Citadel Gates. For twenty years there had been very few sightings of the perennial thorn in his side but now Henry Casdin was back. God only knew his intentions.

The Bailey was a hub of action despite the thin veil of rain that fluttered down towards the gravel. From Paladins to initiates every inhabitant of the Citadel was part of the frantic search, he even noticed a few pistol wielding scribes checking potential hiding places. Such was the commotion that by the time he reached the other side of the area no-one had even noticed the lavishly robed figure.

Lyons was about to enter the A ring section of the Citadel when one of the several power armoured figures called after him.

"Father?" Sarah Lyons scampered over, her blond hair plastered back by the rain.

"Father, you shouldn't be wandering around, there are rumours that the traitor Casdin has infiltrated the Citadel."

Elder Lyons turned to face her; the usual feeling of pride welled in his chest but for once it was tapered by with another emotion. Regret. He was a hypocrite and hypocrites didn't deserve loyalty.

"I'm sure it's just a false alarm," Sarah remained unconvinced. "It's probably just the rain it does funny things to a person. After all it's not rained since…" he tailed off, realising the implications that his unfinished sentence may have caused.

Sarah Lyons frowned, she'd never seen her father like this, then again he wasn't a doddering old man just yet.

"At least let me assign an escort."

Elder Lyons nodded reluctantly and waited while Paladin Kodiak was called over. With a final worried glance Sarah Lyons returned to organising the search parties.

"So where are we going sir?" Kodiak asked.

Elder Lyons hadn't realised that he was still staring guiltily at his daughter.

"My quarters."

Kodiak nodded and followed Elder Lyons into the Great Hall.

The great hall and side passage that led to the high security quarters were silent. Lyons deactivated the rudimentary alarm system and stepped down the corridor. Kodiak seemed to repeat Elder Lyon's steps like a bad echo, something which annoyed Lyons in his current agitated state. Eventually, they reached a bend in the route guarded by a Mister Gutsy Robot.

"Ah good evening sir. Perhaps I could interest you in some vodka, my records show…"

"Maybe later Jeeves, I need you to access the entry records for my office and quarters."

"As you wish sir… last recorded entry was twenty hundred hours today sir." Lyons gave a little sigh; he'd entered his office around eight to get some intelligence holodisks.

"Wait here Paladin Kodiak."

"But sir Sentinel Lyons told me…"

"I hate to overrule my own daughter but I think I can handle an empty office. You can wait out here with Jeeves." Before the trooper could protest Lyons strode into his office.

The room was spacious but not too extravagant. Along one side was a bookshelf filled with pre-war books and magazines. Opposite the shelves were a few of his own artefacts including power armour and even a pair of .44 magnums. Today was not the time to admire his personal collection and he closed the door, intending to move towards his desk at the other side of the room. Unfortunately, his plan was halted by the laser pistol pressed to the back of his head.

"Let's not make a fuss Lyons." The raspy voice of Henry Casdin grated in his ears.

"Send your croney away."

Lyon's hesitated but a forceful push of the laser pistol made his mind up. Tentatively, he opened the door a crack.

"You are no longer needed Paladin," Casdin prodded the barrel deeper into Lyon's neck causing him to take a sharp intake of breath, "Sentinel Lyons requests you return to the search."

"Are you sure sir?"

"Yes, I've just received a message over the comms, Sarah wants you to report to the lab ASAP."

Elder Lyons was screaming in his head for the Paladin not to leave but the loyalty Sarah instilled in all of her soldiers overpowered any suspicions. After a few seconds Lyon's heard footsteps fading into the distance.

"You have my full attention Henry."

With a cold chuckle Casdin guided Lyons over to the desk, sitting him down behind it. Casdin then proceeded to throw himself into the chair opposite, hiding his slight limp. Lyons had to admit he hadn't changed much, he still had that slightly tanned skin and square jaw that set him out as a determined soldier. Perhaps there were a few wrinkles appearing but he could hardly judge.

Silence descended once more.

"Drink?"

"Vodka?"

"No"

"Whiskey?"

"A bit."

"Wine then." The sharp exchange felt like an early skirmish, each party trying to figure out the other's weakness.

"You can use the concealed control panel if you want. I tweaked it a little while I was waiting." Obediently, Lyons hammered the distress button but all the help that arrived was the Mister Gutsy carrying a tray.

"Well what do you know, you do have vodka." The sarcastic comment was more scathing than witty.

"Why are you here Henry?" Casdin downed a tumbler of vodka before continuing.

"Well you haven't been returning my calls or postcards, I was awfully worried."

"Stop playing games with me."

Another tumbler of vodka followed before Casdin laid back in his chair. Despite his relaxed opening not even a hint of a smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"We both know why I'm here."

Lyon's worst fears had been realised so he tried a different approach.

"Look Casdin, I've kept the Brotherhood away from your Outcasts. I've respected your territory."

"And I am grateful for that Lyons but I'm not here about border disputes." He leaned close enough for Lyons to smell his alcohol laced breath.

"My leg hurts Lyons."

"Well if you want medical attention…"

For the first time Casdin smiled, and for once in his life Elder Owyn Lyons was genuinely scared.

"No the pain's good. It makes sure the memories don't die. That the truth doesn't die."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Anger suddenly flashed in Casdin's eyes and he swatted the glass to one side with a crash.

"For twenty long years all I've heard is how fucking great and angelic the brotherhood is. How morally righteous Owyn Lyons is! This shit-hole world should know!"

Casdin settled back into his seat, his breathing ragged. After what seemed like an eternity he spoke in more level tones.

"Do you remember the last time it rained Lyons?"

"Of course I do," replied Lyons heavily, "it was the day this whole thing started."


End file.
